Big cheers went up when De Montfort University Leicester’s (DMU) golden girl of fashion Hazel Symons was presented with her degree.
The Fashion Design graduate was the toast of the global fashion industry last month when her stunning collection was singled out by judges to be awarded the Christopher Bailey Gold Award during Graduate Fashion Week, beating off competition from 1,000 students representing 40 universities.
The prestigious £10,000 first prize means Hazel, of Cornwall, has not been short of attention from prospective employers in the last few weeks.
But after she graduated on Wednesday, Hazel revealed she had taken up an internship in accessory design for high end fashion label Sophie Hulme, was speaking to Gap in New York and had ambitions to further her studies in Paris with the prize money she won.
Hazel said: “The feeling I have today is that it has all been worth it and I leave DMU knowing that hard work really does pay off in the end.
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“I’m looking forward to working for Sophie Hulme. I wanted to do something quite different before I look at completing an MA. I think doing something really different is how we grow and learn.
“Apart from that the people I met there were really, really nice and there was a real energy about the place.”
Hazel’s mum and dad, Shirley and Mark, were at the ceremony. Shirley said: “Hazel is the first one in the family to get a degree. It is a tough course and we have given lots of support to help her through some tough times but we are so proud of her.
“All she ever wanted to do was design fashion and she has stuck to it and succeeded.”
Hazel graduated on Wednesday afternoon with her peers from the Fashion Design course, as well as graduates from Contour Fashion, Fashion Buying and Fashion, Textiles and Accessories.
The morning ceremony celebrated the achievements of graduates from Design Crafts, Footwear Design, Interior Design, Product Design and Textile Design.
Footwear Design graduate Nina Petch said: “The course was the best experience of my life. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to go to university but I have met some amazing people and had an incredible time and I fell in love with Leicester.”
Ellie Bridges and Victoria Brewer graduated in Fashion, Textiles and Accessories.
Ellie, from Stafford, said: “I thought the ceremony was great. It was a proper celebration and I know everyone had a good time.”
Victoria, from Chesterfield, added: “I think it was memorable, warm and welcoming. It was a nice way to end our time at DMU.”
Fashion Buying and Marketing student Megan Brook-Bramley, from Gibraltar, secured a marketing job a week before her graduation with insurance company Staysure.
She said: “The course was challenging but rewarding. I enjoyed it.”
Contour Design graduate Megan Hall said: “It was nice to be able to celebrate with the p[eople you had spent the last three years with. The Contour course was brilliant. I could not fault it. I would recommend it to everyone. It is hard work but fun and exciting at the same time.”
Posted on Wednesday 20 July 2016